Idol Research Club
by Vincent Z.N
Summary: After the graduation the Idol Research Club lost three of their members. Now they will have to go through new problems and challenges. All nine main characters will appear in the story.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or setting of this story.**

 **Author's note:**

 **-This story takes place after the events of the movie. Spoilers of both seasons and the movie.**  
 **-The narrator is a limited third person narrator. This means that the narrator only follows the thoughts and feelings of one character at a time.**  
 **-Each chapter will follow one of the main nine characters, so each girl will be equally important.**

* * *

Even though the classes had already started, and the other clubs were having a hectic time trying to recruit new members, the Idol Research Club's room was always empty. Well, the room was almost empty, but the club was still alive thanks to two passionate idols.

Every day, Hanayo Koizumi, the new president of the club, waited in their room with Rin Hoshizora for the other members. She felt really lonely because that room was always full with laughs and music in the past, and then, she could barely smile. The only spark of hope that she had in that moment was Rin, who had always been there by her side. She really was her beacon of hope.

"Kayo-chin! What are we doing today?" Rin asked with a huge smile in her face, she stood up jumping quickly. Hanayo knew that Rin was trying to exaggerate her enthusiasm to make her happier. Hanayo was still sitting, with her arms crossed, looking at the floor.

"This room…" she started to say, but then stopped. Rin glanced at her. She decided to finish her sentence. "This room is so… empty. You know? Where is everyone?"

"I'm here! And you are also here, nya!" Rin hugged Hanayo, and she smiled back. "See? You smiled. And we don't need no one else!"

"Should we try to recruit new members?" Hanayo asked. In fact, she didn't want to do that, because when μ's was disbanded, a feeling of 'and now what?' was created. She didn't want to move on and create another group, but neither wanted to stop being an idol. The whole club had already gone through that conversation several times, they agreed to disband μ's but keep being idols. However, why Maki, Honoka, Umi and Kotori never returned to the room? "Maybe we should talk with Yukiho and Alisa? I heard they are starting an idol group".

"I'm happy as long as I can spend my days with you, nya!" Rin answered. Hanayo understood that Rin didn't want to have new members in their club. She looked at Rin and smiled again.

"Do you want to look for idol videos in the computer?" Hanayo asked. She stood up and walked to the desk.

"Yes! Nya, nya, nya!" Rin went to the computer really fast.

They started watching some professional music videoclips and then, through the magic of the 'related videos' section they ended up watching last Love Live's performances. In their performance they sang _Bokutachi wa Hitotsu no Hikari_ , which was their most intimate and meaningful song. Hanayo couldn't stop her tears from falling down, she was remembering all the time they spent practicing in their beloved rooftop. She needed to see her friends again. Rin was looking through the window, with a vague look. Hanayo felt that Rin wasn't going to cry, but get really sad instead. And that was way worse than crying, because when you're done crying that's it, but the sad thoughts remain for a long time.

"Rin-chan," she said. Rin looked quickly at her. "We should talk to Maki-chan, make her come back with us," Rin nodded.

When they were in first year Maki was their classmate, and there was only one group for their year. Now, due to the popularity of the school, enough students transferred and the school was able to have two second year classes. Hanayo and Rin were 2-A class and Maki ended up being alone in 2-B.

"And you know perfectly how she is," Rin added. "I'm sure she's not talking to anyone in her class".

"Maybe she feels lonely…" Hanayo replied with her most quiet voice. She was thinking about Maki being alone in her class, without no one to share meals or talk during breaks. It's true that in the beginning Maki was always alone and didn't want to be with them, but after all they have been through together Hanayo knew that her friend had changed.

"We have to talk to her now, nya!" Rin exclaimed with her mouth wide open and a sparkle in her eyes. She took Hanayo's hand and made her stand up, then they started to run, Hanayo's heart was beating really fast. She was going to shout "someone help me!" but she really wanted to go visit Maki.

"That's not the way to her class!" Hanayo yelled, Rin was running really fast while holding Hanayo's hand, and the last one didn't know where they were going.

"I know exactly where Maki-chan is, nya" she replied laughing. And when they arrived there, Hanayo understood everything.

Rin opened the door below the 'Music Room' sign. And there she was, playing the piano.

"Hanayo, Rin," Maki whispered, her eyes opening wide. Rin entered the room first, Hanayo followed her.

Rin went quickly to hug Maki, who was sitting by the piano "nya, nya, nya!" Rin shouted. Maki blushed as soon as Rin touched her. Hanayo hugged the two of them.

"We miss you," Hanayo said.


	2. Chapter 2

"It had to end eventually," Maki stared at her mother. She was getting quite angry at her for what she was saying. "Don't look at me like that, say something. Maki!"

"Whatever…" she rolled her eyes. They were standing in the living room.

"Don't roll your eyes at me!" shouted her mother, frowning her eyebrows.

"But you are making me uncomfortable, I thought you supported me when I joined μ's. I don't get why you say those things now," Maki answered.

"Sorry for making you uncomfortable," she replied, a bit ironical. "But I just wanted to point out that now that your idol experience has ended, you have more time to study. You have to prepare for your future as a medical doctor. You can't spend more time singing and dancing with colorful costumes".

Maki stayed silent, she wanted to say a lot of things but didn't know if she should say them, or in what order. The feelings she wanted to express were far beyond her speech skills. She glared at her mother, frowning her eyebrows and forehead. Her face was getting red. She wanted to say that she was feeling trapped in her home, but that wouldn't be appropriate, or even accurate to describe her current mood. She felt anxious because her family expected too much about her. They wanted her to be the perfect daughter, to have an ambition as high as her grades, to go to the best university in the country, and perfectly speak several languages. However the most important thing they expected about Maki was being a medical doctor in the future.

"What do you want to tell me?" her mother was also expecting Maki to say something.

"Nothing…" Maki replied.

"Are you sure?" asked her stubborn mother.

Maki was quiet for a moment, looking at the floor, and then a spark of determination found the way to her heart.

"Actually, yes. I want to say something," she replied. "I want to announce you, not even to ask for permission, just to announce, that I'm going to join Idol Research Club again. With my friends", she was talking very fast, her face was completely red. Her mother looked confused.

"But… I thought you disbanded".

"Yes, we disbanded μ's, thanks for reminding me that all the time, by the way. But the club is still active, and I want to go there with my friends".

"And what are you going to do there? Dance? Sing? And how is that club going to help you to get into medical school?" Maki thought that her mother was being a bit rude, and that maybe she didn't even realize that she could be hurting her. She knew that mothers always want for their children what they believe is best for them, but Maki didn't understand why her mother was being so overprotective that time. Maybe mothers aren't always right, maybe they are wrong sometimes. And she felt that her mother was wrong then.

"Have you ever considered how happy music makes me? How you ever even thought about how my friends helped and supported me all this time? And… Do you really think that music and friendship is going to be something else than positive for me?" Maki felt a sweet sensation of relief. Her mother was the one who remained quiet then.

"If that's what you want… I can't stop you from doing that. Last year you kept good grades even though you were singing and performing in Love Live contests. There's no reason to believe you are going to start getting bad grades now" her mother said. "But I warn you, if your grades fall down, even for a moment, I'll talk with your father and we'll do something about it."

Maki sat in the sofa, breathing deeply. "Thanks, mom", she said.

"Oh, and exercising and dancing again will be good for your body," her mother smiled at her. Maki replied with an angry look. "You gain weight since you stopped performing".

"Mom!" Maki shouted at her, but her mother had already left the room.

She took her phone, which was lying in the table of the living room, and looked for Nico's number in her contact list. "Should I call her now?" she thought. Although Nico had already started the university they kept in touch. Nico still lived in the same house, so they were near enough to see each other at least once a week. She really wanted to talk to her, tell her that she was going to be in the club again, that her mother was being annoying, and all the pressure that she was feeling. But she didn't want to bother her with those problems, because she thought that maybe Nico was busy, studying or taking care of her brothers. After all that was an ordinary week day. A Tuesday to be more precise.

"I miss you, Nico-chan," Maki whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

Rin was an energetic, vibrant and cheerful girl. She was really good at sports, and she also knew how to keep her friends motivated. Although when she first joined μ's she wasn't the leader type at all, then in her second year she kind of like it. She was ready to start the club activities again as a leader. But, not everything was bright and shiny for Rin, because the exams were already knocking at her door, and when it came to academic skills she wasn't the best.

"Kayo-chin!" Rin exclaimed when the door of Hanayo's house opened. "Good morning!" she was smiling.

"Good morning Rin-chan," Hanayo covered her mouth with a hand and yawned.

"What took you so long?" Rin asked. She had been waiting for a while in front of Hanayo's door.

"It was hard to wake up today, I went to sleep very late," the tired girl replied.

"Why? Are you doing something special? Maybe a surprise for me? Nya!" Rin winked at her.

"Rin-chan… Have you…" Hanayo was looking at her, frightened. "Have you forgotten about today's exam?"

Rin was so surprised that she didn't know what to say. Hanayo had a surprise for her after all. How could she forgot about the first exam? Why that had to happen to her? She was feeling sick. About to throw up her breakfast. There wasn't too much that she could do in that moment, but accept her fate. But that fate was so dark and scary that she started to feel powerless. Every limb of her body was turning into stone, slowly, but without stopping.

"Maybe the exam is during one of the last classes of the day?" Rin asked, hoping that she could have at least some extra time to study quickly.

"Rin chan… The exam is now, in the first class," Hanayo replied, with a worried look. "I'm so sorry."

"But… I attended all the classes, maybe I can remember something, just to pass the exam!" she didn't really know where all that optimism came from, but she need it.

"I know you can do it! I believe in you!" Hanayo smiled at her friend.

"Everything will be alright, nya!" she shouted, happily. Rin really thought that she had a chance. Even if it was very small.

They walked quickly to the school, they were almost running late.

"Hanayo! Rin!" Maki called them from the door of her class. They were in the corridor, going to their class. "I thought you weren't coming in time," she said.

"I was late because I almost oversleep," Hanayo replied.

"Oh… Did you went to sleep too late?" Maki asked at her, somehow surprised. "The second lesson didn't take too much for me to study".

"Second lesson was easy, my problem was in lesson three," Hanayo said. The three of them kept quiet for a moment. Maki had her eyes wide open, and her jaw dropped a little.

"What?" Maki's voice was trembling. "We had to study also that lesson? I just studied the second".

"Maybe your class is only taking the exam of lesson two" Hanayo said, trying to relax Maki.

"You should ask a classmate," Rin added. Maki entered the room quickly, and then came back even more quickly. She didn't say anything.

"So…" Hanayo said. Someone had to say something because Maki was totally silent.

"Today's exam is going to cover lessons two and three…" Maki replied, heartbroken.

"Don't lose your hope, Maki! You can do it, nya!" Rin tried to cheer Maki up. She was also a bit annoyed because her friend at least studied one of the lessons, she didn't study anything.

"But… My mother said that if my grades fall down… She won't allow me to be in the club," she confessed. She was looking at the floor, rubbing one arm with her hand.

"Maki! You can do it, just try to focus. We are going to meet in the club later," Rin said. "We have to go now to our class".

"Good luck, Maki, you'll do great. I'm sure" Hanayo smiled at her.

When the professor handed the exam to Rin, she hold her breath. Looked at Hanayo, who was already reading the questions, and then looked at her exam. She thought that it was going to be fine. That it was better not to worry, and just read all the questions and answer what she knew. Everything was going to be better, eventually.

"This is the first meeting of the New Idol Research Club!" Rin exclaimed. She was standing up, in front of Hanayo and Maki, who were sitting next to the table in their room.

"Maybe we should just go without the 'new'" Hanayo said.

"It's stupid using 'new', we aren't a videogame company trying to sell the same console but with a logo that says 'new'" Maki stated.

"Fine! It's totally fine, nya! I don't mind what name are we going to use, I'm just happy being with you two" Rin replied smiling.

"We have to talk about our plans as a club," Maki said. Rin nodded.

"That's why I wanted you two here," Maki and Hanayo looked at her, waiting to hear something. "Our current objective is to get Honoka, Umi and Kotori back," Rin explained, Maki and Hanayo nodded.

"That's true… Actually I miss them," Hanayo added.

"And they didn't even come here to check on us, what are they doing?" Maki said. She sounded a bit angry.

"They seem really busy… With the student council and everything," Hanayo said.

"Let's try to talk with them this week," Rin said. "We will go to the student council's room".

"We can do it tomorrow," Maki added. "The sooner the better"

"We will be together again, nya!" Rin exclaimed happily.


	4. Chapter 4

Umi Sonoda had never wanted to be an idol, she just did it because she thought that Honoka and Kotori needed her support. And after all that happened after starting μ's she began to accept herself as an idol. She would've never believed that in the future she'll actually miss being an idol, singing, dancing, and wearing cute clothes. Well, cute clothes was the part that she missed the least. The part that she missed the most was just hanging out with all her friends.

"How is she?" Kotori asked. She was talking with Umi, in the corridor next to their class.

"She is busy, you already know that," Umi replied. Kotori looked away, through the window.

"She is busy or she is pretending that she is busy?" Kotori replied after a moment of being quiet. She stared at Umi's eyes for a long time.

"I… I don't know," she replied. Her face became slightly red. "Don't look at me like that! You are making me nervous".

"I think that she just wants to avoid us. Even though we are together in the student council we aren't nearly as busy as she says she is. I know that she is the president, but I don't really think there's too much work to do in this moment of the year", Kotori talked really fast, she didn't even pause to breath.

"You sound really mad, Kotori. I'm not used to see you like this," Umi said. And in fact, Umi was really worried about Kotori. Her friend usually is a quiet, peaceful but cheerful girl. She never gets angry, like she was in that moment.

"I am… You know that. I miss Honoka, and I miss μ's… And after what happened the other day, I- " Kotori stopped talking, she was looking at the floor. Touching her hands gently. Breathing deeply.

"Are you going to the student's council room today?" Umi asked, although she already knew the answer.

"I prefer going home now," she replied.

"It's okay," Umi said. "I understand how you feel". Kotori went into the classroom to take her things and left.

Umi was having a really hard time because Kotori and Honoka were arguing. And Honoka decided to stop to them or being opened about her thoughts. Umi didn't know what Honoka was feeling or the real reason of their argument. Honoka's behaviour and mood changed when the new school year started, and she and Kotori argued a lot. But it went to worse with the time. Umi wanted to help her friends to be happy again like they always were, but she didn't have a magic wand to fix everything. And there were things really difficult to fix.

She head to the student's council room, and when she was about to open the door to talk to Honoka, she heard a familiar voice from behind.

"Umi-chan!" she recognized Rin's voice.

"Oh! You frightened me," Umi replied, she thought that there wasn't anyone in that floor of the school.

"Why didn't you come to the club's room?" Rin asked, pretty straightforward. Umi looked down, she didn't know what to say. Things were difficult between Honoka and Kotori, and that wasn't the perfect moment to come back to the club.

"Sorry…" she replied.

"It's okay, it's just that we missed you. And we miss Honoka-chan and Kotori-chan too," Hanayo said.

"Umi, what happened?" Maki asked.

"Can we talk in another place?" Umi suggested. "Maybe we can go outside… I'll explain everything". She thought that maybe telling the others could help.

They went outside, and sat next to a tree. Being outside in that time of the year was very relaxing. The weather was not too hot or too cold.

"So…" Umi said. She was trying to figure out how to tell them what happened.

"So…" Maki replied. Umi was taking too much time to think and they wanted answers.

"We didn't check on you before because Honoka and Kotori are not in a good place right now" she finally said. "They argue a lot, and I'm very uncomfortable".

"But why?" Hanayo asked, looking sad.

"Kotori wanted to go back to the club, to be with you. To start singing and dancing with you again. But Honoka didn't want to do it. She said that μ's was over and that she wanted to focus more on the student council and her studies. I… I was with Kotori on this one. I also want to sing again. Oh… I miss singing so much. And I also miss you!" Umi felt really relieved when she finally told them everything. It was hard to keep those things for herself.

"Umi-chan…" Rin hugged her. "You don't have to be alone. You can support on us! We will be always there! Nya!"

"We can help you… We can talk to Honoka," Hanayo added.

"But when I talk to Honoka she just nods and says something like 'Oh, I see', she's not the Honoka you knew" Umi explained.

"You are not alone, not anymore. Maybe we should talk to Kotori tomorrow, and convince her to talk with Honoka. We can do it" Maki said. She sounded really optimistic that time.

"Thanks," Umi said, smiling for the first time since the school year started.


	5. Chapter 5

"Today I'm going to be nice to her, I'm tired of fighting and arguing. However, I'm not going to give up".

"But, Kotori, I still don't understand what's going on between Honoka and you," Kotori's mother said.

"I tried to explain it to you before, mom". Kotori was lying. Well, she was kind of lying. She told her mother that she argued a lot with Honoka lately, but she never told her the reason behind their arguments. She took her school bag while her mother was still trying to talk to her. "I really have to go now, or I'll be late!"

"It's fine, I'm going to leave in a few minutes too," her mother replied. Kotori was already outside, but she could hear her mother sighing before leaving.

Kotori, Umi and Honoka used to meet before school to go there together, but now everything was different. She went alone to school, without talking to a friend. The only thing she could do in those lonely walks was listening to music. And she listened again and again to their music. The songs that she and her friends used to sing from the bottom of their hearts.

When she got to the school she found Rin and Hanayo waiting in the door, she decided to talk with them.

"Good morning, Hanayo-chan, Rin-chan," Kotori said, as nicely as she could. Athough she was not in a bad mood because of them, being nice all the time while trying to hide her true feelings was very tiring.

"Kotori-chan!" Hanayo exclaimed. She had a huge smile in her face, Kotori thought that her eyes were bright and full of energy.

"Good morning, nya!" Rin said, as cheerful as she ever was. Kotori was happy to see them again.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"We are waiting for Maki-chan, she is late," Hanayo replied.

"And also there's this other thing…" Rin added.

"What other thing?" Kotori asked.

"Our last exam's results are already hung up in the corridor," Rin said, talking very fast.

"Hey!" they heard a voice screaming from behind them. It was Maki, who was running quickly towards them. "I'm so sorry for being late", she said.

"It's fine! Now, let's go to see our results!" Rin grabbed Hanayo's and Maki's arms and runned. Kotori followed them. She wanted to see how they did in the exam. After all, they were close friends.

Hanayo was breathing heavily, Rin didn't stop moving around, and Maki was just quiet, in silence. Rin was the first on getting to the corridor.

"Nya! Nya! Kayo-chin, you got an A!" Rin exclaimed, all the other students were looking at her. But they smiled at her, because almost all the school knew μ's members and were very fond of them. And Rin was knew for being loud and lovable.

"Rin-chan, please don't raise your voice too much, the classes are going to start," Hanayo replied. Her cheeks were turning red, and she was speaking very softly.

"Kayo-chin don't be so shy, nya!"

Maki approached to the list to find her name and result.

"Woah! I passed the test!" Rin shouted. "I got a D+," she was jumping up and down, with a huge smile in her face.

"Oh, no…" Maki's voice broke. She covered her mouth with her hands. Kotori went next to Maki.

"Maki-chan, what's wrong?" Kotori said, gently. She knew something happened.

"I got a… It's nothing. It's fine". Maki stopped talking, but Kotori kept staring at her. Maki blushed, and crossed her arms, looking at another direction.

"But Maki-chan, you've got a B+, that's great!" Rin said, after checking the list.

"It's not great, and I have to go," she left without looking at the others.

"I don't understand what's wrong with her, she always get really good marks," Rin said. She frowned her eyebrows.

"Maybe…" Hanayo started talking, Rin and Kotori looked directly at her. "Maybe that's the reason why she's upset. She always gets good grades, and maybe her parents get angry at her if she doesn't keep having the same good results".

"I also think that's the reason…" Kotori replied. "Should we talk to her now?"

"The classes are about to—"before Hanayo could even finish the sentence the bell of the school rang.

"We'll talk later, I'm late for my class," Kotori stated.

"See you later," Hanayo replied.

"Okay! Nya!" Rin added.

Kotori was running slowly, she wanted to actually run to her class but running inside the school building was forbidden. Her heart was pumping very fast. She didn't want to be late, that was very embarrassing. Everyone would be looking at her and maybe the professor would say something.

When she finally got to her room, she was lucky, the professor wasn't there yet. She went directly to her desk, she could notice Honoka looking at her for a moment. She felt a lot of tension in that glance, but she didn't care. Actually she wanted to think that she didn't care, but in reality she cared. She cared a lot, most probably, more than anyone else.

"That was intense," she said, stretching her arms and softly yawning. The class was over and the professor already left. The second person in leaving the class, just after the professor, was Honoka. Kotori didn't had even a tiny chance of talking to her. Umi went to speak to Kotori.

"How are you?" she asked. Kotori thought that Umi hadn't been sleeping properly because she had eye bags. Then, Umi rubbed her eyes.

"I'm fine, but you look really tired. Are you okay?" Kotori asked, she was concerned about her friend.

"Yes, it's fine. Not a big deal." Umi replied. Kotori suspected that she was lying. "I think we should go now to talk to Honoka".

Kotori stood up, and followed Umi outside the classroom. In the corridor, Hanayo, Rin and Maki were already waiting for them.

"I forgot to tell you that they are aware of what happened, and they are coming with us," Umi said.

"I'm sorry, we were supposed to tell you this morning but we forgot," Hanayo added.

"We were too busy with the exam results to remember," Rin explained.

Maki was playing with her hair.

"It's fine, and I'm happy that you already know all that's happening," she replied. Actually she felt kind of relieved. She took a long breath in, and a long breath out. She felt like if a heavy weight in her chest had just disappeared.

They went to the student council room quietly, no one was speaking, they were too nervous. All of them shared the same dream: singing and dancing again, and they wanted to do that with Honoka. They were waiting in front of the room's door, silently. Kotori was the one who knocked.

"Honoka-chan, are you there?" Kotori asked, her heart was pounding very fast.


End file.
